Writing
Workshop
Persuasive Essay
In this unit, you read selections in which writers expressed opinions and backed
them with evidence and sound reasoning. What are some issues that matter
to you? In this workshop, you will write a persuasive essay that argues your
position on an important issue.
Complete the workshop activities in yyour Reader/Writer Notebook.
texas key traits
te
write with a purpose
writing prompt
1. focus
f
and coherence
What makes you upset or concerned? Choose an issue that
you feel strongly about. Write a persuasive essay in which you
persuade your audience to agree with your point of view.
• includes an introduction that
states a clear position
• maintains focus throughout
the body of the essay
• ends with a call to action
Idea Starters
• protecting endangered animals
• rules that are unfair to young people
• ways to improve your neighborhood or school
• violence in video games
the essentials
Here are some common purposes, audiences, and formats for
persuasive writing.
purposes
audiences
genres/formats
• to influence
people’s
attitudes or
actions
• classmates
and teacher
• essay for class
• to persuade
readers to
agree with
your opinion
• friends
• letter to the
editor
• family
• speech
• neighbors
• blog posting
• Web users
• commercial or
public service
announcement
(PSA)
• school board
2. organization
• has a logical organization
• uses transitions to show how
ideas are related
3. development of ideas
• provides reasons to support
the writer’s opinion
• supports reasons with detailed
and relevant evidence
• addresses opposing viewpoints
with counterarguments
4. voice
• reflects the writer’s strong
belief in his or her position
• has an appropriate tone
5. conventions
• correctly punctuates direct and
indirect quotations
• employs correct grammar,
mechanics, and spelling
Writing
Online
Go to thinkcentral.com.
KEYWORD: HML6-988
988
unit 8: information, argument, and persuasion
TX_L06PE-u08-ww.indd 988
2/13/09 3:08:19 PM
Planning/Prewriting
WRITING 14A Plan a first draft. 18 Write persuasive essays
for appropriate audiences that establish a position and
include sound reasoning, detailed and relevant evidence,
and consideration of alternatives.
Getting Started
choose an issue
ask yourself:
First, choose an issue about which you feel
strongly and can write effectively. An issue is a
topic that people disagree on. Your issue should
be one that you know something about and
that will also interest your audience. Use the
Idea Starters on page 988 to help you identify
possible topics for your persuasive essay.
• What are some issues that I feel strongly about?
• For each issue, what reasons can I think of to
support my position?
• What are some opposing opinions that other
people might have?
• Which issue would be the most interesting to
write about in a persuasive essay?
think about audience and purpose
ask yourself:
In a persuasive essay, your purpose is to
convince readers to share your point of view
on an issue and, in some cases, to take action.
You’ll need to determine who the audience is
for your essay, as well as what they need to
know to follow your argument.
• Who is my audience?
• What interest does my audience have in my
issue?
• What does my audience need to know to about
the issue? What aspects of it might they want
to learn more about?
state your position
what does it look like?
Write a thesis statement that clearly
establishes your position on your chosen issue.
You may revise this statement later, but having
it written down will help guide your writing.
provide reasons
Once you establish a position on an issue,
you have to support it with sound reasons.
Reasons are statements that justify or explain
your position to your audience. Use a chart to
record some reasons that support your thesis
statement. Then discuss your reasons with
a peer to find out which ones are the most
appealing and convincing.
Issue: The impact that one person’s actions can have
My position: A big impact
Thesis statement: It only takes one person to change
a situation and make everyone’s life a lot better.
what does it look like?
Thesis Statement: It only takes one person to change
a situation and make everyone’s life a lot better.
Reason 1: Some changes that seem small can
actually make a big difference.
Reason 2: If one person does something good, other
people may follow his or her example.
Reason 3: If everyone behaves selfishly, the overall
impact on the world can be disastrous.
writing workshop
TX_L06PE-u08-ww.indd 989
989
2/13/09 3:08:32 PM
Planning/Prewriting continued
Getting Started
collect evidence
To persuade your readers that they ought
to agree with your position, you’ll need to
provide detailed and relevant evidence to
support your reasons. Here are several types
of evidence you might include in your essay:
what does it look like?
• Facts: statements that can be proven true
In 1976, Wangari Maathai had the idea of encouraging
people to plant trees in Kenya. Her Green Belt
Movement has now planted more than 20 million trees.
• Examples: specific instances that illustrate
a general idea
History has many examples of one person making a
difference, such as Rosa Parks.
• Expert opinions: statements made by
authorities on a subject
Author Stephen R. Covey says individuals have enormous
power to change the world.
• Anecdotes: brief stories that illustrate a
point
One class in my school began recycling. Every other class
was participating by the end of the month.
consider opposing viewpoints
Some people in your audience may disagree
with the position you present in your essay. To
persuade them to accept your position, you’ll
need to consider alternative viewpoints and
offer counterarguments. A counterargument
is an argument that refutes an opposing
viewpoint.
0%%2ß2%6)%7
YOUR
TURN
990
what does it look like?
My Position: One person can make a difference.
Possible Objection: The
Counterargument:
actions of just one person History has many
can’t change the world.
examples of one person
making a difference, such
as Rosa Parks.
Share with a peer the evidence you have gathered to support your position. Ask: Which
evidence is most convincing? What opposing viewpoints might I need to address?
In your Reader/Writer Notebook, write your thesis statement and list
reasons for your position. Then gather evidence to support each of
your reasons. If necessary, do some research to collect specific facts,
examples, and expert opinions. Then consider possible opposing
viewpoints and plan the counterarguments you will make.
unit 8: information, argument, and persuasion
TX_L06PE-u08-ww.indd 990
2/13/09 3:08:42 PM
Writing Workshop
WRITING 14B Develop drafts by choosing an appropriate
organizational strategy and building on ideas to create a
focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing. ORAL
AND WRITTEN CONVENTIONS 19A Use transitional words.
Drafting
The following chart shows how to organize your draft
to create an effective persuasive essay.
Organizing a Persuasive Essay
introduction
• Grab the audience’s attention with a memorable statement, anecdote, or fact.
• State your position in a clear thesis statement.
• Provide any background information your audience may need to understand the issue.
body
• Provide clear reasons to support your thesis statement. Back up each reason with convincing
evidence.
• Organize your essay in a effective way. Present your second strongest reason first, and then
other reasons. End with your strongest reason.
• Consider opposing viewpoints and present counterarguments.
conclusion
• Restate your position and briefly summarize your evidence.
• Conclude with a call to action urging your audience to do what you want them to do.
grammar in context: using transitions
Transitions are words and phrases that show how ideas are related to one another.
Because persuasive essays often present reasons in order of importance, transitions that
show this order can help make your essay’s organization clear to your audience.
Transitions That Show Order
of Importance
best of all
first
furthermore
last
mainly
YOUR
TURN
more/most important
primarily
to begin with
finally
ultimately
Example
I believe that one person can make a difference.
To begin with, small changes that might not
seem to have a big effect can have a huge
impact over time. Furthermore, if everyone just
acts selfishly, no good changes will come to the
world. Most important, one person’s positive
actions can inspire others to take action, too.
Develop a first draft of your persuasive essay, following the plan
outlined in the chart above. Use transitional words and phrases to
show the order of importance of ideas in your essay.
writing workshop
TX_L06PE-u08-ww.indd 991
991
2/13/09 3:08:45 PM
Revising
Evaluate the content, organization, and style of your essay and revise it
as necessary. Ask yourself if you’ve achieved your purpose and effectively
communicated your ideas to your audience. These questions, tips, and
strategies will help you revise and improve your draft.
persuasive essay
Ask Yourself
Tips
Revision Strategies
1. Does the introduction
include a clear thesis
statement that establishes
a position?
Underline the thesis
statement. Ask a peer to
read it and identify the
position on the issue.
Add a thesis statement or, if necessary,
replace the thesis statement with a
clearer one.
2. Are there at least two sound
reasons that support the
thesis statement?
Circle the reasons that
support the thesis
statement.
Add reasons that support the thesis
statement.
3. Does at least one piece
of detailed and relevant
evidence support each
reason?
Highlight evidence that
supports each reason.
Draw an arrow from the
evidence to the reason.
If necessary, add evidence to support
each reason. Elaborate on pieces
of evidence by adding details or
explaining their relevance.
4. Are the reasons listed in
the order that is most
persuasive?
Number each reason with
a rank (1 for strongest, and
so on).
Reorder ideas, putting the second
strongest reason first, other reasons
next, and the strongest reason last.
5. Does the essay respond to
opposing viewpoints with
counterarguments?
Underline opposing
viewpoints. Circle the
counterarguments that
address them.
Add possible opposing viewpoints
and respond to them with effective
counterarguments.
6. Does the conclusion include
a restatement of the
position, a summary of the
evidence, and a call to action?
Put a check mark next to
the restatement. Circle
the summary. Put a box
around the call to action.
Add a restatement of the position, a
summary of the evidence, and/or a call
to action.
YOUR
TURN
992
0%%2ß2%6)%7 Work with a peer to review your drafts, using the
questions in the chart. Evaluate your partner’s essay and offer tips
on how he or she could improve it. Be sure to take notes on your
partner’s suggestions.
unit 8: information, argument, and persuasion
TX_L06PE-u08-ww.indd 992
2/13/09 3:08:49 PM
Writing Workshop
WRITING 14C Revise drafts to clarify meaning after
rethinking how well questions of purpose, audience,
and genre have been addressed.
analyze a student draft
Read this student’s draft and the comments about it as
a model for revising your own persuasive essay.
Makx a Diffxrxncx
by Elena Chen, Ridgely Middle School
1
2
3
As I start this lxttxr, thosx who rxad it might think somxthing is wrong
and stop rxading at this point. But plxasx kxxp on rxading.
As you can sxx, for onx lxttxr of thx alphabxt I havx substitutxd an x.
Somx of you might find this strangx. Lxt mx xxplain.
A lot of pxoplx don’t think that onx pxrson in this world can makx a
diffxrxncx. But lxt mx txll you this. In history wx havx all sxxn and hxard
pxoplx who havx stood up for what thxy bxlixvx in. Thxy havx indxxd madx
a diffxrxncx in our livxs. It only takxs onx pxrson to changx somxthing
and makx xvxryonx’s lifx a lot bxttxr. Considxr rxcycling: It only takxs onx
pxrson to rxcyclx; thxn xvxryonx xlsx will follow. If wx all thought only of
oursxlvxs, thx world would bx a disastrous placx right now. Thx ozonx layxr
would bx gonx and wx would all bx harmxd by thx sun.
The use of the letter x
instead of e grabs
readers’ attention
right away.
Elena mentions a
possible opposing
viewpoint to her
position and refutes it.
Elena states her thesis
and presents several
examples. Adding
an anecdote would
help her appeal to her
audience.
,%!2.ß(/7 Use Anecdotes as Evidence Elena’s third paragraph makes the
point that individuals can make a major difference in the lives of others. When
she revised her letter, she decided to strengthen this argument by adding an
anecdote. Anecdotes, or brief stories intended to make a point, can make a
persuasive essay more convincing by relating the issue to actual events.
elena’s revision to paragraph
3
A lot of pxoplx don’t think that onx pxrson in this world can makx a
diffxrxncx. But lxt mx txll you this. In history wx havx all sxxn and hxard
pxoplx who havx stood up for what thxy bxlixvx in. Thxy havx indxxd madx
a diffxrxncx in our livxs.
Onx such pxrson was Rosa Parks, an African Amxrican woman who livxd during
sxgrxgation in Montgomxry, Alabama. On Dxcxmbxr 1, 1955, aftxr a long day of work
shx gratxfully sxttlxd into a sxat on thx bus. Whxn ordxrxd to givx up hxr placx to
a whitx man, thx xxhaustxd Parks rxfusxd. Hxr bravx act rallixd many to protxst and
changx unjust laws of thx day. Rosa Parks is just onx of thx many individuals who
writing workshop
TX_L06PE-u08-ww.indd 993
993
2/13/09 3:08:52 PM
analyze a student draft
4
5
continued
It only takxs onx pxrson to comx right out and say hx or shx carxs.
What I’m saying is to lxt go of your pridx and do what you bxlixvx is right.
If you arx confidxnt, thxn you will succxxd. You should know that you can
makx a diffxrxncx.
Now, what doxs all this havx to do with mx writing x’s instxad of e’s?
Did it xvxr occur to you that if onx lxttxr can makx a diffxrxncx thxn so
can onx pxrson? Xvxn though this is a small xxamplx, it shows that if onx
tiny lxttxr in thx alphabxt can makx such a diffxrxncx in a pixcx of writing,
thxn, of coursx, onx pxrson can makx a diffxrxncx in thx world today.
Elena includes a call to
action to urge readers
to do something.
Elena ends by restating
her position. She
could strengthen her
conclusion by adding
an expert opinion.
,%!2.ß(/7 Use Expert Opinions as Evidence In her final paragraph, Elena
connects her position on the issue with why she has written x’s instead of e’s.
She wants to show that just as switching one letter of the alphabet can make
a big difference, one individual can have a strong impact as well. To strengthen
her conclusion even more, she decided to include an expert opinion by quoting a
person who has demonstrated knowledge of the topic.
elena’s revision to paragraph
5
Now, what doxs all this havx to do with mx writing x’s instxad of e’s? Did
it xvxr occur to you that if onx lxttxr can makx a diffxrxncx thxn so can onx
pxrson? Xvxn though this is a small xxamplx, it shows that if onx tiny lxttxr in
thx alphabxt can makx such a diffxrxncx in a pixcx of writing, thxn, of coursx,
onx pxrson can makx a diffxrxncx in thx world today.
Stxphxn R. Covxy undxrstands thx powxr of individuals to xffxct changx.
Thx bxstsxlling author of Thx 7 Habits of Highly Xffxctivx Pxoplx has said
hx bxlixvxs “that individuals havx xnormous powxr to changx thx world.”
Hx writxs I am pxrsonally convincxd that onx pxrson can bx a changx
catalyst, a transformxr in any situation, any organization. If such a small
xxamplx as changing
YOUR
TURN
994
Use the two “Learn How” lessons, as well as feedback from your peers
and teacher, to revise your persuasive essay. Evaluate how well it
convinces your audience of your position by including sound reasons
and detailed and relevant evidence.
unit 8: information, argument, and persuasion
TX_L06PE-u08-ww.indd 994
2/13/09 3:08:57 PM
Writing Workshop
Editing and Publishing
WRITING 14D–E Edit drafts for grammar, mechanics,
and spelling; revise final draft in response to feedback
from peers and teacher; publish written work for
appropriate audiences.
When you edit, you review your essay to make sure it contains no grammar,
spelling, capitalization, and punctuation errors. Mistakes like these can
take away from your essay’s impact and even keep your audience from
understanding your position.
grammar in context: punctuating quotations
Persuasive writing often cites the opinions of experts. In her letter to the
editor, Elena summarizes author Stephen R. Covey’s ideas about the power of
individuals to change the world. Her summary is called an indirect quotation
because she does not use the exact words of the author. Indirect quotations
are not placed in quotation marks. When editing her letter, Elena corrected
the punctuation of her summary.
Thx intxrnational lxadxrship authority and bxstsxlling author of Thx 7 Habits
of Highly Xffxctivx Pxoplx has said hx bxlixvxs “that individuals havx xnormous
powxr to changx thx world.”
In another sentence, Elena uses Covey’s exact words—a direct quotation.
She added quotation marks around these words so readers would know
they were taken directly from another writer’s work. She also added a
comma to set off the quotation from the rest of the sentence.
Hx writxs I am pxrsonally convincxd that onx pxrson can bx a changx catalyst,
a transformxr in any situation, any organization.
publish your writing
Share your persuasive essay with an audience.
• Make copies of your persuasive essay and distribute them to others who
might be interested in the issue you address.
• Develop your essay into a speech that you deliver to your audience.
• Revise your essay into a letter to the editor of a local newspaper and submit
it for publication.
• Post your essay on a school or community Web site or bulletin board.
YOUR
TURN
Correct any errors in your essay by carefully proofreading it. Make
sure direct and indirect quotations are punctuated correctly. Then
publish your final essay where it is most likely to reach your intended
audience.
writing workshop
TX_L06PE-u08-ww.indd 995
995
2/13/09 3:09:00 PM
Scoring Rubric
Use the rubric below to evaluate your persuasive essay from the Writing
Workshop or your response to the on-demand prompt on the next page.
persuasive essay
score
4
3
2
1
996
texas key traits
• Focus and Coherence Clearly states a position on an identified issue; maintains
focus throughout the essay; ends with a compelling call to action
• Organization Has a logical and effective organization; uses transitions that
effectively show how ideas are related
• Development of Ideas Provides sound reasons; supports each reason with strong
evidence; addresses opposing viewpoints with convincing counterarguments
• Voice Reflects strong beliefs; has an appropriate and engaging tone
• Conventions Shows a strong command of grammar, mechanics, and spelling
• Focus and Coherence States a position on an issue; focuses on the argument with
only a few unnecessary details; ends with a call to action
• Organization Has a mostly logical organization with a few exceptions; includes
some transitions that show how ideas are related
• Development of Ideas Could include more reasons and evidence to support the
writer’s position; responds to at least one opposing viewpoint
• Voice Gives some sense of the writer’s beliefs; has a mostly appropriate tone
• Conventions Includes minor errors in grammar, mechanics, and spelling
• Focus and Coherence Does not clearly identify an issue and/or a position; strays
often from the focus on a position; has a weak call to action
• Organization Shows some organization but with significant gaps; needs more
transitions to show how ideas are related
• Development of Ideas Includes few reasons and little evidence to support the
writer’s position; does not respond to some obvious opposing viewpoints
• Voice Gives little indication of the writer’s beliefs; has a tone that is often
inappropriate
• Conventions Shows a limited control of grammar, mechanics, and spelling
• Focus and Coherence Does not identify an issue or a position; lacks focus
throughout; does not include a call to action
• Organization Lacks a logical organization; does not include transitions
• Development of Ideas Presents no reasons or evidence to support the writer’s
position; considers no opposing viewpoints
• Voice Shows nothing of the writer’s beliefs; has an inappropriate tone
• Conventions Has major problems with grammar, mechanics, and spelling that
make the argument ineffective
unit 8: information, argument, and persuasion
TX_L06PE-u08-ww.indd 996
2/13/09 3:09:04 PM
Writing Workshop
Preparing for Timed Writing
analyze the prompt
1.
5 min
Read the prompt carefully. Then read it again, underlining the words that tell the
type of writing, the audience, the position you must take, and the opposing viewpoint
you must address.
prompt
Position
Opposing viewpoint
You want your parents to raise your weekly allowance. They point out that they raised it
only eight months ago. Write a persuasive letter in which you convince your parents to
support your request. Use specific reasons and examples.
Audience
Type of writing
2.
plan your response
Brainstorm a list of reasons why your allowance
should be raised. Use a chart to list the reasons
and the evidence (such as examples, facts, and
anecdotes) you will use to support each reason.
Then number your reasons from most to least
convincing. Plan to present your strongest
reason last in your letter.
3.
respond to the prompt
10 min
Reasons
Evidence
20 min
Using your notes, begin drafting your letter. Keep these points in mind:
• At the beginning, clearly identify the issue and state your position on it.
• In the body of your letter, present your reasons in the strongest order.
Support each reason with detailed, relevant evidence. Don’t forget to
include counterarguments to address opposing viewpoints.
• In the conclusion, restate your position, summarize the supporting evidence,
and include a call to action.
4.
improve your response
5–10 min
Revising Review key aspects of your letter. Do you identify the issue and
state your position clearly? Do you provide supporting evidence for each of
your reasons? Do you include a call to action?
Proofreading Neatly correct any errors in grammar, spelling, and mechanics.
Checking Your Final Copy Before you turn in your letter, read it one more time
to catch any errors you may have missed.
writing workshop
TX_L06PE-u08-ww.indd 997
997
2/13/09 3:09:07 PM
Listening &
Speaking
Workshop
Giving a Persuasive Speech
If you’ve ever asked a friend for a favor or tried to convince someone to do
something, you’ve given a persuasive speech. To turn your persuasive essay into
a speech, you’ll need to adapt it with your new audience (your listeners) in mind.
Complete the workshop
workss hop
p activities
activitie in your Reader/Writer Notebook.
speak with a purpose
texas
te
key traits
prompt
a st
strong persuasive speech . . .
Adapt your persuasive essay into a
formal persuasive speech. Practice
your speech, and then present it to
your class.
• presents a specific point of view in an organized way
• includes sound reasoning, detailed and relevant
evidence, and counterarguments
• employs verbal and nonverbal techniques, such as
eye contact, speaking rate, and natural gestures, to
communicate ideas effectively
Adapt Your Essay
LISTENING AND SPEAKING 27 Give
an organized presentation with a
specific point of view, employing
eye contact, speaking rate, volume,
enunciation, natural gestures,
and conventions of language to
communicate ideas effectively.
Giving an organized persuasive presentation may seem simple: just read
aloud the persuasive essay you wrote in the Writing Workshop. But there is
much more to it. Here are some guidelines for developing an effective speech:
• Think about the audience and purpose. Your teacher will give you details
about who will be in the audience—classmates, students you don’t know,
or members of the community. Your purpose is to persuade members of
the audience.
• Use your essay to create a script. Underline or highlight important points
you want to include. Express your point of view clearly and organize
information in a logical way.
• Emphasize key ideas. Keep your sentences brief and to the point. Choose
words that are strong and specific, so your point of view is clear. Repeat
key words or phrases to emphasize their importance and help listeners
remember your main ideas.
• Include clear transitions. To help listeners follow your presentation, you
might need to add words that clarify the connections between ideas. Help
your listeners by adding transitions such as however, therefore, and finally.
Listening &
Speaking Online
• Include a visual aid. Make your message memorable by showing it on a
poster, a flip chart, or a power presentation.
Go to thinkcentral.com.
KEYWORD: HML6-998
998
unit 8: information, argument, and persuasion
TX_L06PE-u08-lsw.indd 998
2/13/09 3:06:41 PM
Give Your Speech
Even the most persuasive ideas can fall flat if they aren’t delivered well. As
you practice your speech, concentrate on using verbal techniques (what your
voice does as you speak) and nonverbal techniques (what your face and body
do as you speak) to communicate your ideas effectively.
use verbal techniques
• Speaking Rate Speak at a slow rate so your audience can keep up with
what you are saying. However, don’t speak so slowly that your voice sounds
unnatural.
• Volume Avoid shouting, but speak loudly enough so the people in the back
of the room can hear you.
• Enunciation Speak clearly to allow the audience to understand every point
you make.
• Vocal Modulation Vary your pitch—the rise and fall of your speaking
voice—to help keep your audience interested in your message.
• Conventions of Language Use standard English and correct grammar
to show your audience that you are taking the issue you are discussing
seriously. Avoid slang terms or informal language.
use nonverbal techniques
• Eye Contact Remember to look at your audience throughout
out your speech.
Glance down at your notes as needed, but always return your
our attention to
your audience.
• Natural Gestures Use your hands to emphasize key pointss and to make
your speech seem less formal. Remember to refer to your visual aids
at appropriate points in your speech. Point to specific information
rmation
as you discuss it.
• Facial Expressions Use facial expressions to convey your point
oint of
view on an idea. For example, you might raise your eyebrows
ows to
show your disapproval of a possible objection to your position.
tion.
YOUR
TURN
As a Speaker Deliver your persuasive speech to a
partner. Be sure your speech is organized and you
convey a specific point of view. Don’t forget to
use effective verbal and nonverbal techniques to
communicate your ideas.
As a Listener Listen to your partner’s speech. Take notes
tes
on his or her main points. After the speech, share yourr
notes to make sure you understood his or her message.
e.
Evaluate your partner’s delivery and give suggestions
for improvement.
999
TX_L06PE-u08-lsw.indd 999
2/13/09 3:06:54 PM